The present invention generally relates to X-ray tubes and, more particularly, is concerned with an X-ray tube frame support assembly.
X-ray equipment used in the medical field typically includes a rotating anode X-ray tube. Such X-ray tube is a vacuum tube which includes a rotor having a rotatable shaft, a stator which circumferentially surrounds, or is surrounded by, the rotatable shaft and a tube frame support structure, also called a snubber, which is used to support the frame of the tube within a casing opposite a tube basket. The X-ray tube rotor creates vibrations and audio noise in operation. The design of the tube frame support structure affects the level of vibration and/or audio noise.
Existing X-ray tubes are generally designed with rubber elements, which are solid and which serve as contacts between the tube frame and snubber, and cooling oil which surrounds the tube frame. The solid rubber elements and cooling oil dampen the X-ray tube system. Experiments show that damping between the tube casing and frame affects rotor performance and also the level of vibration and/or audio noise.
A need remains for an assembly which provides an optimum degree of damping for enhancing the performance of and for reducing the level of vibration and/or audio noise of the X-ray tube system and without introducing any new problems to the system.